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Our Gallery of Offenders is for educational purposes, and to give our web site visitors the chance to contact media-makers directly to tell them what they think. The items are mostly chosen from the U.S. mainstream media available in the last year, using an independent process. We are never making fun of models/actors themselves, but the environment they exist within. Please submit your picks on our Contact page.

archive: Viktor & Rolf’s Bonbon smells like misogyny

Questions to Consider:

What product is being advertised?

Who is the target audience?

What message is Viktor & Rolf conveying about women who buy this product?

What We Think:

Viktor & Rolf have gift-wrapped their new Bonbon fragrance…and their model, too! It’s hard to tell what in the world this advertisement is showcasing—the words tell us one thing, but the visual is quite a different story. Here’s an excerpt from the Saks Fifth Avenue website, Bonbon’s exclusive carrier: “It is a haute confection that fuels desire through a scent so irresistible, it is nearly edible…While wearing a bow is a personal, decorative experience; unwrapping one signifies a celebratory occasion.” The woman in Viktor & Rolf’s ad is displayed as something sweet to consume: an object to unwrap like a chocolate bar or the bottle of perfume sitting in her lap. Putting a bow on a bottle of fragrance? Fine. Putting a bow on a naked woman? We’re not down with that. — Kendra De Nike & Caitlin Wire

5 Responses to archive: Viktor & Rolf’s Bonbon smells like misogyny

Tessa on 06-10-2015

Samantha on 06-15-2015

This advertisement is selling perfume for women, we know this because of the "feminine fragrance" tagline. The product is directed towards women, particularly the girly or feminine kind due to the pink bows. The creators of this product are telling consumers that if you buy this fragrance you will be someone people will want to attain. By placing bows all over the model it makes her seem consumable, and a special gift in which people will want to unwrap, even down to her private parts. The pink bows represent the ultimate femininity. In reality it's just another over-priced perfume with a "cute" bottle targeted at women who should desire finer things.

Malina on 12-01-2015

Labeling this product a "feminine fragrance" and placing the perfume bottle in her lap, makes it seem as though "feminine fragrance" is a euphemism for a douche. So is this product a perfume or a douche? And how can one unwrap something that isn't even wrapped up in the first place? Viktor & Rolf must've lost a several brain cells during the process of creating their "feminine fragrance" - seemingly huffing Bonbon gets a person so wasted, they'd approve of such a ridiculous advertisement.

Jodi on 12-06-2015

It is disgraceful that a woman's body is wrapped up as a gift, and it implied that she is a possession, not real human. The image is degrading to the role of woman in society and is easily accessible to the younger generation, which is dangerous to the body image of young girls.

Sarah on 01-09-2016

The idea of a woman wrapped up in a ribbon has negative, sexist connotations as the description here reads, but could've been an appealing, empowering sort of idea if presented in a decent way. For example, if the woman was standing or posing in a fully controlled, powerful yet sexual and suggestive way, showing her full decision on it and the ribbon was wrapping her- maybe more coveringly- especially over her chest and in a more artistic, elegant, sophisticated and least tacky, pornographic way. Also, if they selected a model who looks a bit more like the "average woman" and not a typical, airbrushed modelly type. The woman in this ad though just looks like a typical model for the typical male gaze, awkward, porn-like, and the ribbon illustrations are just tacky.